10-10-2003 02:29									#1
	Miniature Web Servers Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

Does anybody know of any miniature and cheap internet servers available for sale? I'm hoping to set one up on my cable modem. It should be very easy to maintain, be able to serve several domains and include:

1) php;
2) MySQL;
3) Mail;
4) Telnet/ssh; and
5) At least a half gigabyte of storage.

Open for any suggestions. I would prefer something Linux-based. Microcontrollers are fine.

Since I've got a dynamic IP on my cable modem, I hoped to have a managed DNS service point to my IP (such as dnsmanaged). Any experience on that would also be appreciated.

Last edited by DanS on 10-10-2003 at 02:38

	10-10-2003 02:37									#2
	Suffering from ads?

You mean something like this

Last edited by laurentius on 10-10-2003 at 02:45

	10-10-2003 02:42									#3
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http://www.nextag.com/serv/main/buy...h=web%20servers

	10-10-2003 02:55									#4
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Hey, that's pretty cool, laurentius. You could hook that sucker up to do remote sensing, if it could run chron jobs.

Alas, it doesn't have enough storage for my needs right now, nor does it have appear to have the muscle to do php orr MySQL.

	10-10-2003 03:37									#5
	Just get a cheap PC Get a bigger avatar today!

load it up with Linux and PHP and mySQL and you are set. However, if you loading with mySQL, then you may want to spring for extra RAM.

	10-10-2003 06:16									#6
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

Too expensive and too large. I'm looking for something that can be inconspicuous in my entertainment center and is a favorable comparison the $20/month plans that hosting services have.

	10-10-2003 06:18									#7
	Re: Miniature Web Servers Remove this text

quote: Originally posted by DanS Does anybody know of any miniature and cheap internet servers available for sale? I'm hoping to set one up on my cable modem. It should be very easy to maintain, be able to serve several domains and include: 1) php; 2) MySQL; 3) Mail; 4) Telnet/ssh; and 5) At least a half gigabyte of storage.

* Asher has all of this running off of his home WinXP box.

	10-10-2003 07:14									#8
	Full PM-box? Change here!

I need to offload this task onto another processor. If I didn't need to, I would do as you say.

	10-10-2003 07:53									#9
	How small? Inflate your Upload Space

EDIT: Forget it, too expensive.

Maybe this instead?
http://www.lacc.com/lacc/datasheets...P/P4533AABA.HTM
Scroll to the bottom of the list
the HP SA1100 Web Hosting Appliance

Last edited by pchang on 10-10-2003 at 08:01

	10-10-2003 11:25									#10
	Re: Miniature Web Servers Tired of ads?

quote: Originally posted by DanS It should be very easy to maintain, be able to serve several domains and include: 1) php; 2) MySQL; 3) Mail; 4) Telnet/ssh; and 5) At least a half gigabyte of storage.

You are missing Apache and probably Squid. I would also recommend not having telnet/ssh and do the admin from console.

quote: Originally posted by DanS Open for any suggestions. I would prefer something Linux-based. Microcontrollers are fine.

Microcontrollers don't do this very well.

Depends on usage, you probably don't need a fast CPU, but you do need quite a bit of main memory. A RAID would be ideal if you need to do lots of database stuff.

There are some ready made Web servers out there, but the ones I know of runs only http servers out of the box. Your best choice is again building your own.

quote: Originally posted by DanS Since I've got a dynamic IP on my cable modem, I hoped to have a managed DNS service point to my IP (such as dnsmanaged). Any experience on that would also be appreciated.

Dynamic DNS services are workable, but they aren't as good as having a static IP.

BTW, if you want to put a server up, you should protect the rest of your network at the same place with a firewall.

	10-10-2003 11:54									#11
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dans is starting a porn site

	10-10-2003 16:42									#12
	Get a bigger avatar today!

you could convert an older computer with a few upgrades, and just load the software on to it.

	10-10-2003 16:47									#13
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Your best bet is probably something like a Cobalt Qube or just putting together a SFF PC. Some of those are even designed to look right in an A/V rack.

Wraith
"Anyone who hates dogs and kids can't be all bad."
-- W. C. Fields

	10-10-2003 19:02									#14
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: You are missing Apache and probably Squid.

UR: Apache is assumed in most configurations. But what's Squid?

quote: Microcontrollers don't do this very well.

What's wrong with them?

quote: Depends on usage, you probably don't need a fast CPU, but you do need quite a bit of main memory. A RAID would be ideal if you need to do lots of database stuff.

These are low volume sites that I'm talking about. Is this stuff necessary?

quote: Dynamic DNS services are workable, but they aren't as good as having a static IP.

I totally agree, but money is a parameter here. If dynyamic IP wouldn't go well with DNS management, then I'll have to rethink it all.

quote: Your best choice is again building your own.

Yes, it's looking that way, but it's still not looking rather expensive. Are there any tricks to doing a bare minimum of maintenance (or none at all)? Let's say a linux distro that has all of this set up. My time is valuable to me in a way.

	10-10-2003 19:53									#15
	Remove this text

quote: Originally posted by DanS UR: Apache is assumed in most configurations. But what's Squid?

Squid is a proxy server.

quote: Originally posted by DanS What's wrong with them?

Microcontrollers are not designed for this kind of tasks. They are either a single chip or a small board, with a limited amount of memory, and very limited I/O capabilities. Certainly they don't get to access HDD for data and instructions.

quote: Originally posted by DanS These are low volume sites that I'm talking about. Is this stuff necessary?

Any estimates? Anyway, you need at least 512MB memory to run all those servers.

quote: Originally posted by DanS I totally agree, but money is a parameter here. If dynyamic IP wouldn't go well with DNS management, then I'll have to rethink it all.

My experience with dynamic DNS is very limited, so I can't tell if it works well with the somewhat extensive setup you are envisioning.

quote: Originally posted by DanS Yes, it's looking that way, but it's still not looking rather expensive. Are there any tricks to doing a bare minimum of maintenance (or none at all)? Let's say a linux distro that has all of this set up. My time is valuable to me in a way.

Yes, Linux or one of the other OpenSource OS'es is your best choice. RedHat 9 has all the services you are looking for, though it's a bit big. I reckon one can always remove all unnecessary services (e.g. use text concole, not X Windows) and recompile the kernel to optimise it.

	15-10-2003 02:32									#16
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OK, I've done some research. Most of the small stuff is expensive, though. Here's a barebones mini-itx motherboard (17 cm x 17 cm) for $120 (integrated VIA @ 1 GHz)...

http://store.ituner.com/ituner/ep10ne.html

Then there's the new VIA nano-itx motherboard (12 cm x 12 cm) for an unknown price (integrated VIA @ 1 GHz)...

http://www.mini-itx.com/news/computex2003-1/

Then there are 3.5" Single Board Computers. Here's a Kontron motherboard (10 cm x 15 cm) for an unknown price (integrated Pentium M @ 1.1 GHz or 1.6 GHz)...

http://www.kontron.com/products/pdp...&kps=1081&kp=75

Cases are pretty hard to find for these motherboards.

	15-10-2003 20:32									#17
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Here's a mini-itx set-up, including 800 MHz VIA, 256 MB SDRAM, CD-ROM and 20 GB hard drive that would cost about $500.

http://www.caseoutlet.com/NWPc/Mini.../c136.html#A800

Comes in at 7" x 2" x 10". Not bad.

	17-10-2003 22:05									#18
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How many visitors do you expect to have?

	17-10-2003 23:33									#19
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Can you double the RAM? mySQL is real dog if it doesn't have plenty of RAM.